Stanford C/O 2019 Applicants (2015-2016 cycle) Forum

[4thand9]

So I know this is applicant thread, but I figured I could ask and keep this thread on page 1 haha

What are the factors for you guys to choose S over H?

(For me at least, it would be student life, smaller class size, superior clerkship placement in CA / West Coast / 9th C.)

[lemonparty]

Does anyone think it makes a difference to let Stanford know it's our first choice or do they pretty much assume that anyway about most applicants?

I've been around the block before with Stanford and they definitely do not have the "of course we're your first choice" attitude that H or Y has. They ask for Stanford-specific recommendation letters and it's well known that they like a Stanford-tailored PS. Also, as someone who was admitted last year, I can tell you that you get a strong sense that they think they are fighting a slightly uphill battle to get you to attend. It makes sense because they swim in the pond with the biggest sharks and they have the lowest yield (off the top of my head, I think it's 50%) among them.

The interesting thing about all of this is that Yale (and I have personal experience there too) considers Stanford a far more legitimate competitor/comparison than Harvard.

TL;DR: Let them know you love 'em in your LOCI...can't hurt and might give you the slightest of slightest nudges over the line.

Hey thanks for posting this, very helpful! I always assumed they had the "we're Stanford, of course we're your top choice" attitude, but hearing that they don't actually makes me like them even more. I'll def include this in my LOCI, but I was thinking of waiting until I get waitlisted (IF I'm so lucky to not be straight up ding-ed). Or do you think it's fine to write a LOCI before hearing anything?

[WinterComing]

Does anyone think it makes a difference to let Stanford know it's our first choice or do they pretty much assume that anyway about most applicants?

I've been around the block before with Stanford and they definitely do not have the "of course we're your first choice" attitude that H or Y has. They ask for Stanford-specific recommendation letters and it's well known that they like a Stanford-tailored PS. Also, as someone who was admitted last year, I can tell you that you get a strong sense that they think they are fighting a slightly uphill battle to get you to attend. It makes sense because they swim in the pond with the biggest sharks and they have the lowest yield (off the top of my head, I think it's 50%) among them.

The interesting thing about all of this is that Yale (and I have personal experience there too) considers Stanford a far more legitimate competitor/comparison than Harvard.

TL;DR: Let them know you love 'em in your LOCI...can't hurt and might give you the slightest of slightest nudges over the line.

Hey thanks for posting this, very helpful! I always assumed they had the "we're Stanford, of course we're your top choice" attitude, but hearing that they don't actually makes me like them even more. I'll def include this in my LOCI, but I was thinking of waiting until I get waitlisted (IF I'm so lucky to not be straight up ding-ed). Or do you think it's fine to write a LOCI before hearing anything?

I'm a fellow 0L, so what do I know, but I wouldn't write a LOCI until after you're waitlisted (not that you necessarily will be). I'd worry that putting the cart before the horse and sending one now would come off as desperate and not really make much difference to your app. I feel like one's "continued interest" is assumed before hearing back. Chill out, be patient.

[RedWhite&Blonde]

Does anyone think it makes a difference to let Stanford know it's our first choice or do they pretty much assume that anyway about most applicants?

I've been around the block before with Stanford and they definitely do not have the "of course we're your first choice" attitude that H or Y has. They ask for Stanford-specific recommendation letters and it's well known that they like a Stanford-tailored PS. Also, as someone who was admitted last year, I can tell you that you get a strong sense that they think they are fighting a slightly uphill battle to get you to attend. It makes sense because they swim in the pond with the biggest sharks and they have the lowest yield (off the top of my head, I think it's 50%) among them.

The interesting thing about all of this is that Yale (and I have personal experience there too) considers Stanford a far more legitimate competitor/comparison than Harvard.

TL;DR: Let them know you love 'em in your LOCI...can't hurt and might give you the slightest of slightest nudges over the line.

Would it be desperate to submit another letter of recommendation? Not waitlisted.

[lemonparty]

Does anyone think it makes a difference to let Stanford know it's our first choice or do they pretty much assume that anyway about most applicants?

I've been around the block before with Stanford and they definitely do not have the "of course we're your first choice" attitude that H or Y has. They ask for Stanford-specific recommendation letters and it's well known that they like a Stanford-tailored PS. Also, as someone who was admitted last year, I can tell you that you get a strong sense that they think they are fighting a slightly uphill battle to get you to attend. It makes sense because they swim in the pond with the biggest sharks and they have the lowest yield (off the top of my head, I think it's 50%) among them.

The interesting thing about all of this is that Yale (and I have personal experience there too) considers Stanford a far more legitimate competitor/comparison than Harvard.

TL;DR: Let them know you love 'em in your LOCI...can't hurt and might give you the slightest of slightest nudges over the line.

Hey thanks for posting this, very helpful! I always assumed they had the "we're Stanford, of course we're your top choice" attitude, but hearing that they don't actually makes me like them even more. I'll def include this in my LOCI, but I was thinking of waiting until I get waitlisted (IF I'm so lucky to not be straight up ding-ed). Or do you think it's fine to write a LOCI before hearing anything?

I'm a fellow 0L, so what do I know, but I wouldn't write a LOCI until after you're waitlisted (not that you necessarily will be). I'd worry that putting the cart before the horse and sending one now would come off as desperate and not really make much difference to your app. I feel like one's "continued interest" is assumed before hearing back. Chill out, be patient.

Yeah, fair enough, definitely don't want to come across desperate (even though I am haha). Thanks for the 2cents

[clarf]

Stanford law please call
I need to hear you say yes
It's snowing on Mt. Fuji

[meowmers]

Stanford law please call
I need to hear you say yes
It's snowing on Mt. Fuji

that's not a haiku
they're seventeen syllables
stanford what is up?

[nicknar]

Stanford law please call
I need to hear you say yes
It's snowing on Mt. Fuji

that's not a haiku
they're seventeen syllables
stanford what is up?

not to be a dick, but
the Japanese metrical unit "on"
isn't 1:1 with our syllables

so in English
short/long/short is good enough
for the structure of haiku

what's more important
in making a haiku is the focus
on nature imagery

so nothing I just wrote
counts as a haiku, but neither
does your syllabic pedantry

[meowmers]

syllabic pedantry

har har har nicknar
morae are applicable
in English as well

but you're right tho.

[clarf]

Stanford law please call
I need to hear you say yes
It's snowing on Mt. Fuji

that's not a haiku
they're seventeen syllables
stanford what is up?

not to be a dick, but
the Japanese metrical unit "on"
isn't 1:1 with our syllables

so in English
short/long/short is good enough
for the structure of haiku

what's more important
in making a haiku is the focus
on nature imagery

so nothing I just wrote
counts as a haiku, but neither
does your syllabic pedantry

It is no big deal
My last line was from Game Grumps
Stanford loves haikus

[nicknar]

syllabic pedantry

har har har nicknar
morae are applicable
in English as well

but you're right tho.

to be totally honest, I had to google the terms. all I knew was that they weren't exactly syllables, and that American poets take that fact to do more or less whatever they want and call it haiku.

but I like this game.

[meowmers]

syllabic pedantry

har har har nicknar
morae are applicable
in English as well

but you're right tho.

to be totally honest, I had to google the terms. all I knew was that they weren't exactly syllables, and that American poets take that fact to do more or less whatever they want and call it haiku.

but I like this game.

a linguist friend loves to correct folks on morae, which I know nothing about. but on wiki just now i learned a totally fascinating fact: "The first haiku written in English was by Ezra Pound, published in 1913."

wild!

[EnderWiggin]

I have a sinking feeling that my application is one that Dean Deal let her dog eat

[Draconem]

I have a sinking feeling that my application is one that Dean Deal let her dog eat

+1.

[Hildegard15]

I can't believe I'm the only one who picked the option about hating law school admissions....

[Dcc617]

I can't believe I'm the only one who picked the option about hating law school admissions....

I can't believe other people think I'm handsome! (eek it's working!!!!)

[texasellewoods]

Speaking of the poll... where is the post deleter thing?

[QuentonCassidy]

I can't believe I'm the only one who picked the option about hating law school admissions....

I can't believe other people think I'm handsome! (eek it's working!!!!)

"Other people" being your six alts

[Hildegard15]

I can't believe I'm the only one who picked the option about hating law school admissions....

I can't believe other people think I'm handsome! (eek it's working!!!!)

They are only picking it because they feel bad for you. These people don't know that you haven't figured out how to smile in photographs.

[Dcc617]

I can't believe I'm the only one who picked the option about hating law school admissions....

I can't believe other people think I'm handsome! (eek it's working!!!!)

"Other people" being your six alts

[Dcc617]

I can't believe I'm the only one who picked the option about hating law school admissions....

I can't believe other people think I'm handsome! (eek it's working!!!!)

They are only picking it because they feel bad for you. These people don't know that you haven't figured out how to smile in photographs.

[Hildegard15]

I can't believe I'm the only one who picked the option about hating law school admissions....

I can't believe other people think I'm handsome! (eek it's working!!!!)

They are only picking it because they feel bad for you. These people don't know that you haven't figured out how to smile in photographs.

....Not the route I thought you were gonna go in your response. I expect more biting witticism from you DC. You're getting soft.

[pterodactyls]

Do people actually get in to Stanford or is it just a myth?

[pterodactyls]

So I know this is applicant thread, but I figured I could ask and keep this thread on page 1 haha

What are the factors for you guys to choose S over H?

(For me at least, it would be student life, smaller class size, superior clerkship placement in CA / West Coast / 9th C.)

If I am faced with that choice, I will go outside and do cartwheels.

Until then, I'm not going to bother to consider it. At this point, I would be ecstatic to get waitlisted by one of them.

[ProductofUnreality]

Well I've decided to throw my hat into the ring. Not optimistic with GPA<25% and 50%<LSAT<75%, but figured I'd take the gamble even this late.

Good luck everyone!